Vehicle top



vmy 2o, 1930. A E. A. WRIGHT 1,759,250

l `VEHICLE TOP v Filed Aug. 2. 1926 VENTI? Patented May 20, 1930 'naar EDWARDA. wRGHT, oF FRESNO, CALIFORNIA,

Y v VEHICLE Tor Application filed August 2, 1926. Serial No. 126,577.

,Myfinvention relates to tops for vehicles,

particularly automobiles, and relates especially to tops made of fabric or other flexible material which are adapted to be-raised or 5 lowered to suitvthe convenience of the occupants of the vehicle. n l

In automobiles of the open type, such as roadsters or phaetons, and even in landaulets it is often desirable tolower thetop of the ve- Y currents and whorls whichcurl in at the rear of the car and form drafts which blow upon 20 the occupants from the rear.

It is therefore an object of my inventionrto' providev al vehicle top which has a stationary rear portion to deflect eddy currents and drafts tending to blow upon occupants of thel vehicle top but which is possessed of variousv advantages thereover.

The invention possesses other advantageous features, some of which with the foregoing, will be set forth at length in the following description where I shall outline in* full that form of the vehicle top. of my invention, which I have selected for illustration in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification. In said drawings I have shown one form of vehicle top embodying my invention, but it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to such form since the invention, as setforth inthe claims, may be embodied in'a'plurality of forms. f

In the drawings Figure l is aside elevation of a portion ofy a vehicle employing thetop of my invention, a portion 1of the near side of the top being broken away to disclose the interior construetion. 1

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 andY showing in side elevation the exterior of the rearportion of the top of my invention.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentarypview of the tensioning and fastening devicefor the cord which secures the cover portion to the rear bow.

Figure 4 is a cross section on the .line 4 4 of Figure 3.

Broadly speaking, my invention comprises a vehicle top which is provided with an upstanding rear portion, which is preferably left permanently in upstanding position, and a detachable, flexible cover portion stretched' between the'rear upstanding portion and a' front lsupport which usually is the vehicle windshield. l f

`Particular reference is made to Figs. l andA 2 of the drawings. yThe vehicle body 6 is provided with atop bow 7 of the usual composite metal and wood construction preferably pivoted to the vehicle body by means of a pin 8. The bow 7 is maintained in upstanding position on the body 6 byl means of metal rods 9 which at their lower ends lit detachably in suitable sockets in the body 6 and at their upper ends engage the wood portion of the bow 7. The quartersrand the rear of the top are shielded by'a strip or sheet of fabric', leather or similar flexible material 11 which is stretched between the body 6 and the bow 7 and isy fastened in place by upholstery 0 tacks or snap fasteners in the usual manner.

The rear curtain 11 is provided, if desired, with a rear vision window l2 of the-standard kind.

It is contemplated that the rear portion of bow 7 may be rigidly attached to the body 6 at that point. The supports 9 may then be permanently fixed in place in the body and in the wooden portion of the bow 7. The upstanding rear portion of the top is preferably left permanently in place and is effective in;

preventing the eddy currents and drafts formed by the currents of air which are deflected by the windshield and sweep upward j over the top* ofthe vehicle from striking the occupants from 'therean The upstanding portion, however, interferes in howise with the range of vision Aenjoyed by the vehicle occupants.

Means are provided for stretching a sh'eetv of fiexible material such as fabric or leather over the topof'the vehicle to form a cover portion 13 affording more protection from the elements than is offered 'by the rear" section alone. For that purpose the wooden portion lof the bow 7 is provided in its" outerA side with aV longitudinal groove 14 which extends across'the back of. the bow and well down the sides. It is vintended to place the top fabricl 13 across the groove 14 and then tension a cord 15 against thev fabric thereby drawing the fabric into the groove and Vmaintaining it in position. VIn order'to insure i that'the'cord15 is taut thruoutits length,vno

pafrt vofthe grooved portion of the' top bow is Inade'zstraight but' it is curved slightly in a` convex direction thruoutits entireV length. The Vends of the cord 15, which is preferably a lightmetal'cable, are provided with suitable balls 16 securely attached thereto Vand uti-Y lized in placing thecord 15 in tension. Y Each side ofthe top bow 7 iis made with a projec tio 17 whichextends outwardly from 'themetal` portion and which is providedwith a Vvcent1-al Vlongitudiinil groove 18 in alineinent '92 Y longit'udinail bore parallel withV andV opening intothe groove 18. A suitable screw 19 en-VV withxthe groove 1'4in the wooden portioniof the bow. The projection 17 Yis pierced by a gages the threaded bore and is cut along one side: by a slot21. To tension the cord '15, the parts are placed in the position shown in 'y Fig. 3, with the cord inserted thru the slot 18 into the center part of the'screw 19 and Vwithrt-he ball 16 engaging the head of the screw. When the screw is rotated the cord tion maybe securely fastened to the wind-v shield. f To aid in positioning the coverfpor- Vtion 13 before the cords 15 and 23 are in place, Vsuitablesnapfasteners 26 are pro-f vided at appropriate points onl the bows.

vmaterial lcannot slip under the cord The' fasteners are primarily to hold the top l material in place until the cords come into play.

Means are provided for tautening the top portion in order to lend a good appearance and to give it approximately the conven` tional contour. A forward bow 26 of the usual composite wood and metal construction is `provided intermediate its ends with two toggle joints 27V each of which is formed with suitable abuttinzfg, shoulders 28 and 29 serving 'as stops.

The lower half of each toggle is pivoted at 31 to a depending metal e Y portion'o'f the bow is so located and pivoted that when folded it lies below and inside of the top line of the bow 7, so that it is not visible fromoutside of The forward bow26 the' vehicle and does not detract from the ap- Y Vpearance Vof thetop. The bow 26 is heldin proper position against the top'materi'al by means of a strap or strapsf32 each of which is at its rear end affixed to the bow 7 and at its forward end is afiixed to a suitable clamp onr the bow 26. Buckles 33 are provided intermediate the' ends of the straps in order to adjust them for length and thereby to posi- Y.

tion the bow 26 in arpropermanner. It is 'intended that the straps 33 beonce adjusted to give the proper contour to the top and that further vmovement of the 'bow 26 be Vtaken Vcare of by means of the toggles 27.

In setting up the top `of VmyV invention for use, the top portion 13 lwhich is usually stowed at a convenient point about the car is unfolded and is snapped in position on the windshield 22 and on the rear bow 71-by means ofthe snaps 26. The forward bow 26 is `in the position indicated the dotted lines-in` Fig. 1 and is not at this time extended to ten-V sion the cover portion 13. VWhenv the cover portion isin place,the front cord 23isplaced j Vover the material and the ends of the cord are slipped into the screws 24'whichare' turned Y y suitably toreceive them. YThe screws 24 are then rotated to tension: the cord 23 and draw the top material into the forward groove thereby retaining it firmly in place. The rear cord 15 is then suitably positioned over the rear groove 14 and the'screws 19 are' properly turned, after the ball ends 16 havebeenVV placed therein, to tension the cord and draw the top material firmly into placerin the groove 14'thereby maintainingit in position. The cover portion is then firmly affixed in position and no load is borne by the snaps 26. f VAit this juncture, the front bow 26 maybe pulled forward from'its collapsed'positionf and be forced upwardly to tauten or tension` vthe top material by closing the toggle 27.V

The toggle is moved slightly past center position until the shoulders 28 and 29abut each".

other. lThe cover portion is then'not only held firmly in position but it is sufficiently taut to give lit a smooth contour in accordancel with .the prevailing ideas oftop construction.

' The top is dismantled by proceeding in substantially the'reverse order. That is, the toggle`27 is broken and folded into the position shown in the `dotted lines in Fig.' l, the screws 19 andQL are turned to release the tension of the cords 15 and 23, the snaps 26 are unfastened and the cover portion 13 is removed from the bows and folded to be stored at a convenient point in the vehicle body. 'Ihe protection of the rear quarter is thereby obtained but the vision of the vehicle occupants is obstructed in no manner. As has been before stated the rear quarter may be fastened to the body so that it may be removed if desired.

It will be observed that the top of my invention presents the usually sightly conventional appearance, may be readily dismantled and stowed away, possesses the additional advantage of preventing back drafts upon the therein, a cover portion adapted to overlie said bow and said groove,a cord for retaining said cover portion in said groove, and ay f fastener for removably retaining said cover my hand. Y Y

. EDWARD A. Y'WRIGrI-IT.

vehicle occupants and furthermore may be readily and easily set up.

I claim l. A top for a vehicle having an open body, comprising a draft shield adapted to remain upright at the rearward part of said body, an upright windshield at the forward part of said body, a leXible cover portion fastened to said windshield and said draft shield, and a toggle-jointed bow mounted on said draft shield for tautening said cover portion.

2. A top for a vehicle having an open body, comprising a draft shield adapted to remain in upright position, said draft shield including anupright wall extending across the back and along the sides of a seat of said vehicle, a wind shield mounted on said vehicle forward of said seat, a flexible cover portion detachably mounted on said draft shield and said wind shield, a toggle-jointed bow hinged to said draft shield for tautening said cover portion, and an adjustable means for positioning said bow.

3. A top for a vehicle having an open body, comprising a draft shield adapted to remain in upright position, said draft shield including a bow curved convexly for substantially its entire length and having a groove in the convex periphery thereof, supports for spacing said bow from said body, a sheet of material fastened to said body and said bow and forming an upright wall across the back and along the sides of a seat of said vehicle, a wind shield mounted on said vehicle forward of said seat, said wind shield being provided with a conveXly curved portion having a groove therein, a iiexible cover portion overlying both of said grooves, cords for forcing said cover portion into said grooves, means for tightening said cords, a toggle-jointed bow pivoted to said draft shield and adapted when extended to tauten saidl cover, portion, and an adjustable strap for positioning said toggle-jointed bow.

4. In a vehicle top, a bow having a groove 

